Social accountability ANSA EAP Operations Team Orientation for Barangay Officials from Sta. Mesa 10 April 2010, Ateneo School of Government F O R B A R A N G A Y S

Introductions: Name, barangay or organization, position Something that no one else in the room knows about you What are you bringing to the workshop? What do you wish to bring home from the workshop?

1.To describe our idea or vision of good governance and relate it to our work in the barangay; 2.To explain how social accountability contributes to achieving good barangay governance; 3.To translate lessons into plans or actions to improve the enabling environment and mechanisms for social accountability in the barangay. Suggested learning objectives:

Suggested process: – 10.30Introductions and preliminaries – 11.30Workshop 1: Our idea of good governance – 12.00Social accountability for good barangay governance – 13.00LUNCH BREAK – 13.30Reflection/Plenary discussion – 14.30Workshop 2: What we have now?/What we can improve? – 15.00Sharing of action points, synthesis and closing

Workshop 1: Describing our idea or vision of good governance

What to you is good governance in the barangay? Write your answer on an idea card. Maximum of 3 lines per card. Write in large, bold letters. Then tape your idea card on your chest. Stand up, go around the room, and read each other’s idea card. If you see an idea card(s) that you think is similar to what you have, group together. Choose a “champion” in your group. Look for a place where you can converse and deepen your insights. Be sure everybody in the group participates. Write on an easel sheet the highlights of your conversation. Then report to the big group.

The United Nations defines 8 characteristics of good governance:

Transparency Decision-making and enforcement follow set rules and regulations Information is freely available for those who will be affected by decisions Information is adequate, relevant, easily understandable

Accountability Those in power should be answerable to those who will be affected by their decisions or actions They should also be responsive to the needs of citizens from whom their power is derived

Participation Involvement of citizens in decision-making and in efforts to improve their conditions Citizens should have freedom to associate, capacitate themselves, and express their interests and views

Participation Transparency Accountability

Philippine Constitution of 1987 Bill of Rights, Section 7 Philippine Constitution of 1987 Bill of Rights, Section 7 Right of people to information Access to official records shall be afforded the citizen LEGAL and POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR TAP:

Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people All public officials and employees are obliged to submit annual performance reports which shall be open and available to the public Republic Act No Code Of Conduct And Ethical Standards For Public Officials And Employees Republic Act No Code Of Conduct And Ethical Standards For Public Officials And Employees

1991 Local Government Code of the Philippines Establishment in every LGU of an accountable, efficient, and dynamic governance structure that will meet priority needs of its communities. Decentralization

Local mechanisms for citizen participation: Local initiative and referendum CSO participation in local development councils and special bodies:  Local Health Board  Local School Board  Local Peace and Order Council  Local PBAC  Other optional bodies

Other participatory governance mechanisms: 1992 National Integrated Protected Areas Act (protected area management board) 1997 Indigenous People’s Rights Act (ancestral domain management board) 1998 Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Act (fisheries/agricultural resources management board)

In 1996, a coalition of civil society organizations embarked on a Participatory Local Governance (PLG) or Barangay Training and Management (Batman) Project with support from Ford Foundation The project was conducted in 877 barangays Post project study of results in (2002) 14 PLG barangays that have approved BDP and 14 non-PLG barangays Among the assessment criteria: TAP

Findings Barangay development plans are not only more comprehensive but also more feasible Increased level of awareness among citizens of the role and responsibilities of barangay officials Openness and levelling of expectations forced public officials to perform better and deliver outputs Shifts in prioritizing projects: from aesthetics to those necessary for well-being of citizens Magno, Francisco (2002). Participatory Local Governance and the Protection of Vulnerable Sectors

So, WHAT is social accountability and HOW does it contribute to good governance? “Organized and capable citizens engaging constructively with government to monitor its decisions and actions toward better delivery of public services, improvement of people’s welfare, and protection of people’s rights.”

Constructive engagement Evidence- or information-based Results- or solutions-oriented Sustained engagement Citizens groups and government

Development planning Budget formulation Expenditure management Performance monitoring and evaluation Monitoring the Public Financial Management (PFM) cycle

Social accountability tools Participatory planning: Naga City People’s Council Votes and participates in deliberations on design, implementation and evaluation of city projects and programs

Social accountability tools Budget monitoring: NGO Forum in Cambodia Performed monitoring and analysis of the national budget from 2004 to 2006 Key findings: Share of budget items for “pro-poor” programs have decreased

Social accountability tools Participatory expenditure tracking: Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Governance (CCAGG) CCAGG works out a plan with the concerned government agency to monitor spending on and implementation of infrastructure project

Participatory performance monitoring: Citizen report card - Bandung Institute of Governance Studies (BIGS), Indonesia Conducted surveys, seminars, focused group discussions with urban poor to measure effectiveness and gender- responsiveness of government’s housing policy. Social accountability tools

For constructive engagement and effective citizen monitoring under social accountability to happen … We need to have the 4 pillars of an enabling environment: Government openness Organized and capable citizens Access to information Cultural appropriateness

Workshop 2: What we have now? What we can improve?

What do we have now in our barangay in terms of constructive engagement or social accountability? What can we do to improve what we are doing and enhance constructive engagement and citizen monitoring? What do we want to achieve in our barangays within the next 6 months? (Goal-setting)

salamat po